Cindy Adams

Cindy Adams

Celebrity News

Late Benihana founder’s ex-wife counter-sues his children

Benihana founder Rocky Aoki’s six children from assorted wives are feuding, fussing and fighting. As Rocky’s friend since his struggling Tokyo ice-cream seller days, I was at his first three-table Benihana opening here. I accompanied him to Kyoto for his anniversary.

He died owning a black AmEx card, Fifth Avenue duplex, assorted mansions, sake factory and multimillion dollar global empire. All he made himself. For selling rice, nice. In his fragility, no kids were around. Keiko nursed, fed, tended him. I saw it.

In 2006, convoluted business turmoil had him say: “My kids want to wrest control from me.”

Page Six reported they’re suing Keiko to set aside his will. Monday her lawyer Richard Feldman countersued on Keiko’s behalf.

The kids’ position being it’s allowable to distribute them income during his lifetime. They’d already gotten $7 million from insurance and came to the hospital for another $3 million.

It’s what Keiko’s court papers Page 4 calls “a deathbed distribution.” He died next day.

She tried to settle. They refused. Her lawyers are now suing the kids and their various lawyers. After opening Benihanas in England, Iraq, Thailand, Philippines, end of April she’ll open Japanese/Chinese restaurant Keiko Ono Aoki near the Flatiron Building. The Japanese chef was Rocky’s friend.

Walls have ears at the Oscars

Oscarisms: When Penélope Cruz was up for “Volver”: “All people wanted to know is do I diet? Such talk about diet. That’s all they ask — ‘You dieting?’ I don’t. I love food. I will never stop eating wonderful food I love.”

When Jennifer “Dreamgirls” Hudson was up for Best Supporting: “I watched TV to see if I got nominated. Nervous was the waiting. You know if they pass your name, they sure don’t plan to come back. I was so emotional. First thing I did was call my mom.”

Years ago, backstage, I saw Tom and Katie, then Mr. & Mrs. Scientology, Krazy-Glued into a frantic headlock with him maniacally grinning like his throat was cut. Immediately fotogs disappeared, she went nonstop onto her BlackBerry, the perfect evening gown accessory, and he worked a Rubik’s Cube.

One season stars got faces done for 30-second-each pre-filmed interviews, which took three days to shoot.

Eddie Murphy schlepped his own hair and makeup team. Clint Eastwood didn’t even care to camouflage age spots.

Peter O’Toole requested foundation sprayed on his hands.

DiCaprio’s body had been done when they created “wounds” for a movie scene but wanted no more of it this time.

Helen Mirren got a new base, bit of blush and complementing lipstick. Checking the set’s lights, she said: “OK . . . looks right . . . get on with it.” Her only request? “Leave the hair alone.”

The producer, in writing, informed them if they win: “Say how it feels, speak of the road that brought you there, thank one person who’s the reason you’re there. Bring no paper onstage. Read no list thanking everybody who might be insulted if they’re not mentioned.”

A Candice Bergen quote: “I watch with friends. I like to see the bad outfits.”

Aaaaahhh Hollywood, where they say things like, “You’re twisted, perverted and sick — but I like that in a person.”

Quickie quote

I dont’t know the genesis of this quote but Ashton Kutcher has said: “Sex has to be funny.”

Bumper sticker on a Jeep at Sixth Avenue: “Fight organized crime. Re-elect no one.”

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.